Automatic measuring-tank.



,No. 785,224. PATENTED MAR. 2.1, 1905.

F."N. LOWRY.

v AUTOMATIC MEASURING TANK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY '16. 1904. v

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9 a../4 E W l0 ATTORNEY No. 785,224. I PA-TENTED MAIL-21,1905.

' P. N. LOWRY.

AUTOMATIC MEASURING TANK. APPLIOATION FILED MAY-16, 1904.

' 2 SHE ET8BHEET 2.

9m" gig/M.

WITNESSES. A 'INVENTOR ATTORNEY I\To. 785,224.

UNITED STATES Fatented March 21, 1905.

FREDERICK NICHOLS LOWRY, OF MIDLAND, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC MEASURING-TANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,224, dated March 21, 1905.

Application filed May 16, 1904. Serial No. 208,253.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK NIoHoLs LoWRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Midland, in the county of Midland and State of;Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Measuring-Tanks; and 1' do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is adevicefor automatically measuring the quantity of fluid 7 being discharged from a pipe or other conduit and for intermitten tlydischarging the measured quan tity into a suitable receptacle.

The improvements consist in certain devices, their combination, and the equivalents thereof, as will be more fully set forth in this specification and pointed out in the claims.

The invention provides means for preventing the inflow of liquid into the measuringcompartment of the apparatus'while the previously-measured quantity is being discharged therefrom and means for quickly'delivering into the measuring-com partment liquid which has been accumulating during the time required for emptying the previous charge from the measuring-compartment. Means is also provided for quickly opening. the dischargevalve to permit the escape of liquid from the measuring-compartment the instant the liquid inside the compartment rises to a certain predetermined level, the measuring-compartment having been previously calibrated to contain a given volume of liquid at the instant of discharge.

The invention also provides means for automatically shutting off the supply conduit while the liquid is being discharged from the measuring-compartment and provides for automatically shutting oif the supply when the receptacle is full.

With these and certain other objects in View, which will appear further in the specification, theinvention consists in thedevices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich+ Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the measuring device. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail of the discharge-valve and its controlling mechanism. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line :12 w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing a modified arrangement of the dischargevalve and its operating devices. a

As is clearly shownin the drawings, the device consists in a tank having a receivingcompartment 1, a measuring-compartment 2, and the chamber 3 for receiving the liquid discharged from the measuring-compartment.

In this specification I will refer to the three compartments as being in the location shown in Fig. 1, it being understood that the shape, size, and relative locations of the three compartments may be varied to any extent con sistent with the proper working of the measuring mechanism without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The measuring device is capable of being used alone without the compartments 1 and 3 or with either of them.

Liquidsuch as water, brine, or other substance to be measured is supplied to the apparatus by means of the supply-conduit 5and accumulates in the receiving-chamber 1 until the level rises above the top of a stand-pipe 6, which opens into the measuring-compartment 2. As the liquid flows over the top of the pipe 6 and accumulates in the bottom of the measuring-tank 2the level in the tank 2 gradually rises to such a height as to lift the inverted cup or float 7, by which the admission and discharge valves 8 and 9 of the measuring-chamber are actuated. The preferable construction of the inverted cup 7 is illustrated in Fig. 2, it being understood that the size, shape, and arrangement of the parts may be varied to any extent consistent with its proper working. This cup, as shown, is of substantially the form of an annular ring closed at the top and open at the bottom.

By reason of the buoyancy of entrained air the cup floats when the liquid in the measuring-compartment rises above its lower edge. The top of the central portion of the cup 7is formed with an air-tight cover 7 which may be integral with the cup 7 if desired, and to the central portion of the top 7 is fixed a vertical rod or other suitable member 10, that is carried up and down by the cup 7 as it rises and falls with the liquid-level. Fixed to the bottom 2 of the measuring-compartment 2 and projecting down through said bottom and up into the central opening of the cup 7 is a discharge-pipe 11, by which theliquid is delivered from the measu ring-compartment into the chamber 3. A valve 9 is provided in the bottom of the discharge-pipe 11 and is connected to the top 7 of the cup 7 by means of a rod, chain, or other suitable connection 22, whereby the valve 9 is raised, and thereby closed to prevent discharge of liquid from the pipe 11 when the cup 7 is raised by the rising liquid in the measuring-compartment 2.

To keep the cover 7 the proper distance above the pipe 11, I prefer to extend upward the four guides 11, (shown in Fig. 3,) the ofiice of which is to keep the pipe 11 and the shell 7 concentric. The extended upper ends of guides 11 thus form a seat for the cover 7. It is thus seen that the first effect of the liquid that overflows the top of the pipe 6 is to raise the cup 7 ,and thereby close the discharge- Valve 9. In the floor of the receiving-compartment 1 is located a valve 8, which is opened by contact with the upper end of the rod 10 as the latter rises with the cup 7, so that almost simultaneously with the closing of the discharge-valve 9 occurs the opening of the inlet-valve 8, which permits the liquid stored in compartment 1 and previously overflowing the top of pipe 6 to suddenly flow through the valve 8 into the measuring-compartment, leaving the receiving-compartment 1 empty except for the continued discharge through it of the supply-stream from the conduit 5. The buoyancy of the inverted cup 7 is such as to forcibly hold closed the discharge-valve 9 and hold open the inlet-valve 8. It is obvious that this condition will remain until the air contained in the inverted cup 7 is permitted to escape.

I will now describe the means by which the air is suddenly released from the cup 7, permitting it to fill with liquid and sink, allowing the contents of the measuring-compartment to siphon over the top of the dischargepipe 11 through the now open valve 9 and drop into the chamber 3, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2.

Within the annular space 7", formed by the walls of the cup 7, and near the top of the cup is the upright cup 7 open at the top and forming an annular ring around the inner wall 7 of the cup 7. The bottom of the annular cup 7 is preferably inclined, so that the liquid may be drained from it, as shown in Fig. 2. Starting above or nearthe level of the top of the cup 7 and passing through the-bottom of the cup 7 c at its low side is a U-shaped pipe 12, which extends down to a point above the level of the lower'edge of the cup 7 andis then bent back upon itself and passes up to a point above the level of the charge of liquid to be measured. In the tube 12 and close to the bottomv of the cup 7 are small holes 12*, by which the cup is emptied. Y

The operation of this device is as follows: The cup 7 having been tilled with liquid, the liquid having been admitted into the measuring-chamber 2 through the check-valve 8, as above described, until the level of the liquid in the tank has risen almost to the point of discharge, the pressure of air in the cup 7 has gradually increased with the rise of liquid and the liquid in the cup 7 has thereby been gradually forced through the openings 12 into the bent pipe 12, and when the hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding liquid upon the air in the space 7 becomes greater than that due to the column of liquid in the pipe 12 at that instant the column of liquid in the pipe 12 will be blown out of the top of the pipe by the air displaced from the space 7", and with this resistance removed the remaining air from the space 7 b is free to escape and liquid flows in and takes its place. The cup deprived of buoyancy of entrained air sinks, and the liquid in compartment 2 siphons through between the wall 7 and the pipe 11 and drops down through the pipe 11 and the open valve 9 into the chamber 3. As has been previously noted, the valve 8 closes as soon as the cup 7 sinks. Before all the liquid has left the chamber 2 and the siphon through pipe 1 1 breaks,the space 7 b fills with air again, but the cup 7 c and pipe 12 retain a quantity of liquid, part of which flows through the openings 12 and fills the looped lower part of the pipe 12 ready for action.

It will be noted that when compartment 2 is emptying chamber 7 gets part of its air by sucking it back through the U-shaped pipe and the rest of it when the liquid falls below the lower edge of 7. Consequently the chamber 7 is filled with air and emptied of its liquid before the siphon breaks. To effect this result, the inner Wall 7 d is made to extend below the wall of the cup 7.

The pipe 6 serves not only as an overflow from the receiving-chamber 1, but also as an air-vent for the measuring-chamber 2.

The length of pipe 12 determines the level at which the discharge from the measuringcompartment takes place, and in practice I prefer to make the length of this pipe adjustable by any suitable means, such as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where 12 is a threaded pipe screwed over the end of pipe 12. By screwing this pipe 12 up or down the effective length of pipe 12 may-be adjusted within reasonable limits, so that the quantity of liquid contained in chamber 2 at the instant of discharge can be easily and accurately regulated.

In the device above described I have assumed a constant flow of liquid through the conduit 5. In this case it is necessary to store the liquid delivered from 5 while the valve 8 is closed and the measured liquid is being discharged from chamber 2. In cases where it is desirable to stop the flow through the conduit while the tank 2 is discharging the receiving-compartment 1 may be dispensed with.'

In such cases I provide below'the dischargevalve 9 'a receptacle 13, having a small opening'13 in its bottom and mounted on a pivoted lever 14, the outer end of which carries a float 15, which is used to close. the sh ut-oif valve when the receptacle is full. To their:- ver 14 is attached a rod 16, connected at its upper end to the handle of a shut-off valve provided in the conduit 5. A suitable counterbalance-weight 23 is secured to the rod 16.

In this case the liquid discharged through valve 9, drops into the receptacle 13, and since it flows in faster than it can'flow out through the opening 13 it overflows the receptacle 13, and by its'weight, acting through the levers 14 and 17 and the rod 16, it holds the'shut-ofl valve closed. When the flow from valve 9 .ceases, the liquid contained in the receptacle 13 is discharged through the opening 13, and by means of the weight 23 the valve 17 is again opened and liquid flows through the conduit .5 as before.

A record may be-kept ofthe number of measured quantities discharged from chamber 2 by a suitable counting mechanismas, for instance, by the float 18, shown in chamber 1. The counting mechanism may be placed in chamber 2 when necessary. The float may 7, quantities of liquid taken from a continuously .weighed and the total weight computed from the number of charges passing through the device, or the device may be adjusted to meas- 'ure a given volume or weight of liquid.

One method I have used successfully to cal ibrate for the desired charge is to accurately weigh or measure one charge, put it into the compartment 2, then adjust the extension 12 of the U-shaped pipe until the liquid is blown out, as previously described. The device will thereafter discharge that amount each time. The top section 12 of the pipe 12 can be made long or short, as circumstances may require.

Let it be understood that the design of the inverted. cup shown by the drawings is only one of several embodimentsto accomplish the same object; that the inverted cup and the siphon through which the liquid from the a cup or chamber to automatically catch and supply to the blowpipe at every discharge of t e measuring-compartment suflicient liquid to supply this desired static head, and so long as there is an inverted cup the buoyancy of which automatically operates the admission and discharge valves 8 and 9 of the measuringcompartmentin fact, any arrangement of the parts consistent with the proper working of the controlling mechanism may be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

While I have shown and described pipe 12 as being vertical, with a U-shaped lower end, I do not wish to confine myself to this particular form, for the pipe 12 may be any pipe so arranged that the quantity of liquid in the measuring-tank is controlled bythe hydrostatic pressureof the column of liquid in said pipe. Y

NVhat I claim as myv invention, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent, is as follows:

1. In a device for automatically measuring fluids, the combination with a receiving-compartment, a measuring-compartment and a discharge-chamber; of an inlet-valve connecting the receiving-compartment with the measuring-compartment; a discharge-pipe connecting the measuring-compartment with the discharge-chamber; a dischargevalve located in said pipe; an inverted cup inclosing the upper end of said pipe; a rod secured to said cup and adapted to actuate said inletvalve; an upright cup within said inverted cup; and a U-shaped pipe connecting with said upright cup and projecting above the discharge-level of the liquid.

2. Ina device for automatically measuring fluids the combination with a measuring-compartment; of a receiving-compartment having a valve communicating with the measuringcompartment; adischarge-pipe located in the bottom of the measuring-com partment; a dis charge-valve in said pipe; an inverted'cup inclosing the upper end of said pipe; a rod secured to said cup and adapted toactuate said inlet-valve; a rod secured at its upper end to said inverted cup and at its lower end to the ing-compartment; a discharge-pipe connecting the measuring-compartment with the discharge-chamberr a discharge-valve located in .the level of the liquid in the measuring-tank has reached a predetermined position.

4. In a device for automatically measuring liquids, the combination with a receiving-com: partmen t, a measuring-compartment and a discharge-chamber; ofan inlet-valve connecting --the receiving-compartment with the measuring-compartment; a discharge-pipe connecting the measuring-compartment with the discharge-chamber; adischarge-valve located in said pipe; an inverted cup within the measuring-compartment and adapted by its buoyancy when containing air to hold open the inletval've and to hold closed the discharge-valve; together with a pipe connecting the air-space of said inverted cup with the air-space of said measuring-tank; the upper end of said pipe being located near the predetermined discharge-level of the measuring-tank.

5. In a device for automatically measuring liquids, the combination with a receiving-compartment, a measuring-compartment and adischarge-chamber; of an inlet-valve connecting the receiving-compartment with the measuring-compartment; a discharge-pipe connecting the measuring-compartment with the discharge-chamber; a discharge-valve located in said pipe; an inverted cup within the measuring-compartment and adapted by its buoyancy when containing air to hold open the inletvalve and to hold closed the discharge-valve; together with an upright cup inclosed within said inverted cup, said upright cup being provided with a-pipe, the upper end ofsaid pipe being-located near the predetermined discharge-level insaid tank; substantially as described.

6. A valve-actuating float for devices of the class described, comprising an inverted annu: lar cup; an uprightcup inclosed within said inverted cup; a U-shaped pipe communicating with said upright cup and projecting up abovethe inverted cup. for the purposes set cup; a U-shaped pipe communicating with said upright cup and projecting up above the inverted cup, for the purposes set forth.

v 8. In a liquid-measuring device, means for actuating the inlet and discharge openings of said device, said means comprising in combination with an air-chamber subjected to bydrostatic pressure of the liquid being measured, a pipe communicating with said cham-. her said pipe being adapted to automatically release air from said chamber when the pressure produced therein by the hydrostatic head of the liquid being measured reaches a predetermined amount, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a liquid-measuring device, Irleans for actuating the inlet and discharge valves of said device, said means comprising in combination with an air-chamber subjected to hydrostatic pressure of the liquid being measured, a pipe communicating with said chamber and adapted to automatically form a water'seal in said pipe to automatically release air from said chamber when the pressure produced therein by the hydrostatic head of the liquid being measured reaches a predetermined amount, for the purposes setforth.

10. In a liquid-measuring device, an airchamber having its upper'part air-tight, the air contained therein-being subject to the hydrostaticpressure of the liquid being measured; together with a'liquid-containing pipe communicating with said airchamber and adapted to automatically release the air therefrom when the pressure exerted upon the air in said'chamber by the liquid being measured exceeds the'counter-pressure of the liquid in said pipe.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of-two witnesses.

-FREDERIGK NICHOLS LOWRY. Witnesses: V

L. I. NoR'rHwAY, JAs. J. SAVAGE. 

